Monday, April 30, 2007

Sagar's New and Hot (Week 5)

Chimpanzees have recently been studied to find clues as to the origin of language. Researchers have found that chimpanzees rely more heavily on hand gestures than they do on vocalizations and facial expressions. Interestingly, researches have noticed that most chimpanzees use their right hands to communicate, which is controlled by the left brain, the same location where language is controlled in humans. A funny note: male chimps extend their arm with an open hand to beg for food, to urge a female to have sex, or to send a signal of reconciliation after a fight with another male.